The second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season is about to kick off, so the latest, September, issue of Autosport magazine includes our traditional driver gradings for the first half-term. This time Oleg Karpov plays schoolmaster and hands out the grades to the 22-strong class of 2026.
Thanks to the new regulations, there seem to be even more stories and subplots to follow than usual. Stuart Codling helpfully picks out the biggest themes to watch over the next few months, while Jake Boxall-Legge takes a look at the main tech battles that are playing out.
We also see how things are going at Audi and Cadillac, while
